


I Guess We'll Have To Put Up With This

by fandomfix



Series: you'll make your real friends and set yourselves apart [3]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Friendship, Gen, Stubborn Boys Being Stubborn, the whisper of pre-slash but we are nowhere near the actual slash yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 17:18:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7323952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomfix/pseuds/fandomfix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Now that Phasma and Kylo are <i>officially</i> friends, it might be a good idea for Hux and Kylo to start trying to get along</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Guess We'll Have To Put Up With This

Kylo walked to Arithmancy, wondering if he’d see Hux today. He had been taking this class for three years now and even though they had always shared it with the Slytherins, Hux had never noticed him.

Not that he blamed him. He made it a point to blend into the background, place himself in the most shadowy corner and just do his work.

Hux on the other hand was hard to miss. If it weren’t for the bright red hair on top of his head, it would be the way he always spoke up in class. This was one of the few classes where he actually seemed to enjoy talking. Hux was brilliant, but he almost never participated in the other classes they shared over the years. Kylo only wished he had the guts to speak up as well.

Arithmancy was a paradox for Kylo. He was more hands-on, tended to do badly in classes where he wasn’t actively doing anything. Yet somehow he did well in this one. In fact, it was one of his favorite classes. But even though he knew his professor was aware of his capabilities, no one else was.

Still, it didn’t make the small sting he’d felt when Hux ac ted as if they shared no classes other than Potions go away.

Entering the room, he discovered that he had beaten Hux there, so he went to his corner and opened his book. This was the other reason no one seemed to know he was in this class. He hid behind his book until the moment the professor walked in, and left as soon as she dismissed them.

So it surprised him when a body flopped into the seat beside him.

“What are you doing here?” Hux said, the sneer not quite leaving his face.

“Well, I was reading until you disturbed me. Why do you ask?” He replied, wishing he said something wittier. He wasn’t an idiot—in fact they were sitting in one of his best classes right now—but it seemed that all Hux saw when he looked at him was a waste of space.

This wasn’t a new experience. But considering his new friendship with Phasma, it kind of hurt to know her best friend wouldn’t speak to him if not for her.

That didn’t mean he was gonna change his personality though.

The sneer was still there, but now Hux’s eyes showed confusion as well. “Since when are you in arithmancy? I’ve never seen you here…” he trailed off.

Kylo decided to take pity on him. Just because Hux’s default mood was often offensive, didn’t mean Kylo had to be so as well. “It’s funny you should ask that Hux, considering we’ve shared this class for _three years._ I’m a bit surprised you never noticed before.”

The look on his face was sort of priceless, but Kylo decided not to push his luck too far. After all, he genuinely liked Phasma, and he didn’t want to force her to deal with her best friend being a jerk every time Kylo was with her.

He was saved from any further conversation when the professor entered the room, forcing Hux to return to his actual seat at the front. Kylo faded back into the shadows like he always did.

If he noticed Hux glancing back at him more often, he didn’t mention it.

*

Kylo was back in the library. People might almost mistake him for being studious, if it weren’t for the fact that most people forgot he even attended classes.

In reality, the only reason he was here was because the other option would have been his common room. He tried to spend as little time in the tower as possible. He once told his mother that heights were bad for his health. She countered that he was on the quidditch team and that made no sense. The argument that conversation devolved into was not worth repeating.

He should have been working on his essay for Charms, but Phasma was coming by after dinner so they could do it together. Instead, he was once again reading his Arithmancy textbook and preparing for the next essay their professor had assigned.

It was the only class he enjoyed being ahead of schedule for. The fact that he never appeared to be doing work for the class might also be why Hux forgot they shared it.

However, he was getting bored and it was getting close enough to dinner that he figured he could begin heading down to the Great Hall. Gathering his things together, he had just passed the doorway when he was pushed against a wall.

He saw a blur of green and red before Hux had their faces frighteningly close to each other.

“Why Hux, I didn’t know you felt that way. You should have said something.” He said, thanking Merlin that none of his surprise showed in his voice.

Hux pretended he hadn’t spoken.

“You’re good at arithmancy.” He snarled.

Kylo raised his eyebrow. “I’ve never seen someone act so angry about someone else being good at a class. What exactly is your point?”

Hux pushed away from him, allowing them both time to adjust their robes. Anyone coming down the hallway truly would have gotten the wrong idea.

“My point is that when I asked the professor about you, she said that you were one of the best students in the course. That I was one of the only ones better at it than you.”

“And she just gave you this information?” He asked, skeptically. “I didn’t think that was something they were allowed to do.”

There was a brief hesitation before his response.

“I…might have led her to believe I was trying to gather together students for a sort of…club. And asked her who else she thought would be interested since I don’t speak to the other students outside the classroom.”

Kylo couldn’t help the small smirk on his face. The idea of _anyone_ thinking that Hux of all people would want to spend time with others was comical.

“Alright,” he said. “I’m actually disappointed she believed that, but it is an impressive way of gathering information. Another way would have been to just ask me about it, since we do share a mutual acquaintance.”

“Please don’t remind me.” The other boy said, seeming exasperated at the mere thought of their connection. “The reason I didn’t ask you is because I thought you’d start whining about how you’ll fail anyway. Then I’d have to spend more time in the library studying with you to get you to stop. Only it turns out I wouldn’t have to help, which is a blessing I wasn’t expecting today.”

Kylo crossed his arms. In truth, he actually didn’t dislike Hux. The boy was always too focused on the numbers part of arithmancy and not enough on the magic part, but he was intelligent. If Kylo was willing for others to know how much he enjoyed the class, he might actually talk to Hux about it.

That was a pretty big ‘ _if’_ though.

Hux sighed. He seemed so over this conversation, even though he was the one to shove Kylo against a wall and start accusing him of actually being good at something.

“Look. I just…wasn’t expecting it. The only previous encounters I’ve had with you were you fussing about not being able to understand a simple class. That and seeing the damage you cause to poor unsuspecting furniture and broomsticks. I just…was surprised.”

He raised his eyebrows. It almost seemed like Hux was making an _effort_. He hadn’t expected that.

“And what were you planning on doing with this information? You might not know much about me, but I know you, Hux. You always have a plan for things.”

Hux suddenly made eye contact. His face scrunched up in a way that Kylo might have found adorable if it wasn’t _Hux_.

“You and Phasma are becoming friendly. And I care a great deal about my friendship with her. I will not lose her companionship simply because she is spending time with you. That means trying to find some sort of common interest. I enjoy arithmancy more than most of my other courses and you seem to as well. I wanted to know if you’d…”

He stopped abruptly. Kylo _could_ have been kind and let him gather his thoughts. But he was hungry and also no one in their right mind would consider him kind.

“I’d what? You’re looking a bit constipated there, Hux. Are you quite alright?”

He glared at Kylo.

“I wanted to know if you’d like to study with me, you great bastard!” he shouted.

“Now, now, boys.” A voice came down the hall, causing both of them to turn. Striding toward them, her head high and confident, was Phasma. Kylo felt a smile forming on his face just at the sight of her, and Hux seemed to relax as well.

“Hux my dear. Why are you calling Kylo a bastard? Has he harmed your fragile self-esteem with his terrible manners?”

Kylo couldn’t help but chuckle. Other people might have been insulted, but he knew his manners were terrible. Even someone he’d only been friends with for a few weeks would know that.

“Phasma darling, please shut your mouth.” Hux said, a smile gathering at the corners of his lips. Kylo couldn’t believe it.

Phasma simply laughed.

“Shall we go to dinner instead of standing in the hallway looking ridiculous?”

They nodded and she began walking away. But before Hux could follow her, Kylo grabbed his arm.

He looked at where Kylo’s hand held his elbow, looking up at him expectantly.

“I just wanted to say,” he paused, feeling awkward and stupid yet again. It was amazing how easily Hux caused this.

“I just wanted to say that… yes. It would be nice to have someone to study arithmancy with. I don’t usually talk about it to _anyone,_ really. And just so we’re clear, I don’t want to get in the way of your friendship with Phasma. I don’t think I could.”

Hux nodded, seeming ready to move away, but Kylo’s grasp remained firm.

“I do have one thing to request in return, though.”

Hux’s eyes narrowed. “And what is that?”

Kylo smiled, seeing Phasma walking back to them, looking exasperated. He waited until she was within ear shot to respond.

“I want you to start coming to my quidditch games. We can’t spend all our time together in the library and in dueling club.”

Phasma laughed again, and he saw that same small smile begin to appear at the corners of Hux’s mouth.

**Author's Note:**

> Did you know that JK was super vague about what arithmancy class DID in the books? Did you know that it makes it very difficult to write something where you've already decided that arithmancy would be one of your main characters best subjects? I like to think I did ok though.
> 
> Come say hey on tumblr! [fandomfix](http://fandomfix8.tumblr.com) and [frapandfurious](http://obsessions-and-dreams.tumblr.com)


End file.
